Good morning, Chicago.
When Tashonda Porter first heard that 7-year-old Eddimar Hernandez Chacon had been stabbed to death on a busy South Side commercial strip, she thought of her own daughters.
Porter, 45, heard that the girl had been attacked in broad daylight, holding her 17-year-old sister’s hand. Her own children are 21 and 10, she said. “I could just imagine my daughter walking my baby down the street,” she said.
Porter brought a black Minnie Mouse headband to leave on the sidewalk on the 8600 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue because it was something her younger daughter would like. She imagined that Eddimar might have enjoyed it, too.
In the days since the stabbing, foot traffic to the makeshift memorial was still coming thick and fast. Barbie dolls, stuffed toys and bunches of flowers sprawled across the sidewalk on the 8600 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue, ringed with prayer candles. Balloons bobbed up from the pile. A package of Skittles, a toy tiara, a cross and a framed photo of Eddimar sat close by the words “Eddimar, te amo” — “Eddimar, I love you” spelled out in more candy.
Read the full story from the Tribune’s Caroline Kubzansky.
Here are the top stories you need to know to start your day, including: what to know about Illinois’ 8th District race, what’s next as IKEA closes its Bolingbrook store and what we learned from the ALDS workout at Rate Field ahead of Game 3 for the White Sox today.
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| Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in HistoryMcDonald’s sued over AI tool that recommends prices to US franchisees
McDonald’s is facing a federal lawsuit that alleges its AI-enhanced pricing tool violates antitrust laws because it shares nonpublic data with franchisees who might be competing in the same market.
Illinois Democrats accuse Darren Bailey of failing to disclose who provides rent-free Chicago apartment
The Illinois Democratic Party has accused Darren Bailey, the Republican nominee for governor, of violating state campaign disclosure law by failing to publicly reveal who is providing him with a rent-free downtown Chicago apartment, where he has been staying since the spring.
Illinois’ 8th District: Melissa Bean seeks comeback vs. newcomer Republican Jennifer Davis
Former U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean, a centrist Democrat whose 2004 upset helped begin the northwest suburbs’ shift to the left, is seeking a comeback in Illinois’ 8th Congressional District against Republican Jennifer Davis, a tech entrepreneur running for office for the first time.
The two are vying in the Nov. 3 general election to succeed Democratic U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, who gave up the seat as part of his unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Senate this year. He has endorsed Bean.
U. of C.’s South Side Science Fest showcases the wow that exists in the field
Robots demonstrating dance moves made popular by the late entertainer Michael Jackson, mini-catapults sending plastic gourds soaring toward a cauldron, paper airplane competitions and ice cream frozen by liquid nitrogen were among the demonstrations on offer at the fifth annual University of Chicago South Side Science Festival.
IKEA to close its Bolingbrook store for new, smaller location in Naperville
IKEA is closing its Bolingbrook store and building a new, smaller version in Naperville’s Block 59 development.
“This relocation reflects how our customers are living, working and shopping across the broader Bolingbrook-Naperville corridor,” said Sam Gravina, Chicago metro market manager for IKEA. “By moving the shopping experience to Naperville, we are positioning IKEA closer to growing population centers while maintaining strong accessibility for existing Bolingbrook customers.”
Altercation between former Chicago Bears LB Otis Wilson and Soldier Field security is under investigation
An investigation is underway after former Chicago Bears linebacker Otis Wilson got into an altercation with security at Soldier Field following Sunday’s game against the New York Jets, according to authorities and media reports.
Sean Newcomb will start for the Chicago White Sox in Game 3: What we learned from Tuesday’s ALDS workout
White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami has fed off the energy of the home crowds at Rate Field.
“The crowds have been 100% really awesome throughout the year,” Murakami said through an interpreter yesterday. “It gets really loud. I’m initially happy the crowds are there and are supporting the team all the way.”
The Sox are anticipating amped up fans today for Game 3 of the American League Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians. It will be the team’s first home game this postseason.
- Column: Sunny forecast for the White Sox after years of gloom and doom
- Photos: White Sox workout day for the American League Division Series
Column: Hitting the pavement and grabbing some memories with these Chicago Marathon men
“Marathon Man” is a movie, a fine one too, with Dustin Hoffman as a Columbia University graduate student caught in international intrigue and Laurence Olivier as a Nazi demon adept at using dental tools as instruments of torture.
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It hit theaters in October 1976, a year before a few thousand people gathered to risk different sorts of pain by running 26.2 miles through the city. It was the Mayor Daley Marathon and attracted 4,200-some participants, which seems a paltry number now, but was enough to make it then the largest marathon in the world.
Now called the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, it will attract 55,000 runners this Sunday and among them will be five men Rick Kogan recently spoke to about why they run and what it means to them.
Open House 2026: Our 12 don’t-miss spots this year
Love where you live, more.
Open House Chicago, the annual opportunity to acquaint yourself with spaces both celebrated and unknown, returns for its 16th edition Oct. 17-18. Presented by the Chicago Architecture Center in cooperation with upwards of 200 sites, the free public festival spans dozens of neighborhoods — including many in our collective backyards that often go unnoticed.
Eva Marie Saint, star of ‘North by Northwest’ and ‘On the Waterfront,’ dies at 102
Eva Marie Saint had one of the most spectacular debuts in Hollywood history, as the love interest of Marlon Brando’s tormented Terry Malloy in “On the Waterfront,” and her first trip to the Academy Awards was memorable, too. Pregnant with her first child, Saint accepted her Oscar from Frank Sinatra and smilingly murmured a unique winner’s speech: “I think I may have the baby right here.” (Her son, Darrell, was born two days later).